Learning my new laser

[deemery]

I got an XTool S1 10w diode laser.  (Seems that particular laser isn't made any more.  XTool offers 20w - out of stock, and 40w laser modules for the S1.)

So I'll occasionally I'll post here about the learning curve.  Getting this running was easier than the Creality unit (22w) that I returned because its evacuation fan didn't work.  I'm using LightBurn as the controller software, with some 'here's how to get it to work' advice from the LightBurn forums.

dave

[deemery]

My primary material for this would be 1/16 basswood, including 1/16 scribed or clapboard siding sheets.  So getting that material right is important.

I created a test sequence to try different speed/strength combinations.  From top to bottom, that's, 4, 6, 8, 12, 20, 30 mm/sec at 100% then 75% and 50% (top to bottom.)

What's more important, though, is to look at the other side:

Only a few combinations burned through.  The winner is 4mm/sec at 50%, with 6mm/sec at 75% in second place.  What really surprised me was how much scorching there was, even at the fastest movement/lowest power setting.  The 4/50 combo didn't quite burn through everything, there was a bit of splintering on the piece when I punched it out.  That's not a big deal, I can finish the cut with an X-Acto knife (a common practice for laser kits I've built.) 

My lettering was too dark, too (done at 150mm/25%)

Now maybe I missed a job step, I've posted these results to the LightBurn forum and someone might come back and explain what I got wrong.  But still, it's an interesting first start towards using this for model RR projects.

add I measured the resulting squares.  The drawing size was .50 inch, the resulting squares were .45 in, so that's .05 for the kerf when I do future designs.  (And that size is after lightly sanding the burnt edges.  Same size on both 4/50 and 6/75 squares.)

dave

[deemery]

I FOUND MY PROBLEM:  I thought I was working in mm/sec for speed, instead it was IN/MIN.  UGH. 

Another test.  This time I'm using XTool Studio, there's some sort of problem between the laser and Lightburn.  So in XTool Studio, there's a test generator.  I ran  5, 22, 38, 54, 70, 86, 102, 118, 134, 150 speeds and power 10-100% in 10% steps.

More importantly, what settings cut through:

There's a clear pair of winners, 5 mm/sec at 30% (still attached, easily removed) or 40% (cut through.)  No burn!

I'm surprised nothing burned through at 22 mm/sec, even at 100%.  I should do another round of tests at slower speeds, maybe 3, 4, 5 mm/sec at 30, 40, 50% power.  But I can certainly live with this result. 

Now to figure why Lightburn isn't working...  I can certainly live with XTool Studio, but Lightburn has some really nice features (like the ability to set tabs).

dave

[friscomike]

Howdy Dave,

While those test guides take a whole sheet to burn, it is worth it on a new laser.  You have a nice one.

Have fun,
mike

[deemery]

Howdy Dave,

While those test guides take a whole sheet to burn, it is worth it on a new laser.  You have a nice one.

Have fun,
mike

I expected a learning curve on settings for materials.  I am disappointed by the problem with Lightburn, but I'm sure it's something I have set up wrong.  XTool Studio is sufficient for the kinds of things I've done before (in PowerPoint, of all things, but just for design and not for laser cutting.)

I do need to do a kerf measurement.  I'll scribe 1/2" squares, and measure the resulting cut-out piece.

After I get 1/16 basswood worked out, I'll try the chipboard stuff I got that's thinner.  That, plus 1/8 plywood, would probably be sufficient to do most of what I'm thinking about near-term.

dave

[Vietnam Seabee]

Thanks for walking us thru your learning process
terry

[deemery]

Another experiment, this one with a relatively narrow range of settings.

And from the back:

The clear winner setting was 5 mm/sec @30% power.  That produced a clean cut at minimum power.  

The squares were .5", so I dug out my precision calipers to measure the result:

So .005 is small enough that I can ignore kerf most of the time when doing design.  There was a small difference between the vertical and horizontal lengths, but I'd really need to do a couple to make sure I wasn't just seeing measurement error.

dave

[Vietnam Seabee]

Dave...I'll be interested to know how narrow you can make window mullions/muntins
terry

[deemery]

Dave...I'll be interested to know how narrow you can make window mullions/muntins
terry

Terry, I strongly suspect that depends on the material.  I don't think 1/16 basswood sheet would work very well,  But 1/32 plywood might allow for narrow mullions.  Let me get more experience before I try that experiment, but remind me in a month or so.

dave

[friscomike]

Howdy folks,

Most of the window mullions I've seen were cut from resin-impregnated board about .025 thick. I'm sure you can get thinner material. It worked well for me on the fire station. 

Have fun,
mike

[Keep It Rusty]

Dave - some nice results here. Lasers are very particular per material. It takes a minute to dial them in for your stocks.

Plywood is a big no for lasers, by the way. Even the "laser-ready" plys. It's the glue between the layers that lasers just HATE. You'll be miserable trying to cut it, so I recommend sticking to Basswood.

For thinner details, all manuafacturers use Ivory Laserboard (.025). This resin-impregnated card stock cuts like a dream on laser beds. Encompass Media used to be my US-based distributor. Not sure if they are still in business though.

One other thing, focusing is super important to achieving clean (non-scorched) vector cuts.